Why Pregnant Women Should Read Books

Reading culture has continued to drop in Nigeria, but a librarian believes that mothers can help address the trend and build a viral reading nation.

Have you ever desired to have your child love reading always?

The culture of reading is dying in Nigeria but the truth remains that
reading is the only way individuals will get hold of information that will
empower them in life.

Pregnant women can help their children cultivate the culture of reading and
the process must begin when the child is still in the womb, a Librarian in
Nigeria, Professor Lanrie Aina, said on Wednesday.

Reading to their unborn child, will help the child cultivate the culture of
reading and will help in building a viral reading nation, he believes.

Aina, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of National Library of
Nigeria, gave the advice at a readership promotion campaign in Jos the capital of Plateau State, entitled: “Working
together to build a virile reading Nation: Challenges and Strategies”.

According to him, when pregnant women read to their unborn children, they
would be more aware of the importance of reading books to their children when
they are born.

But for him that is just the beginning of the wonderful process.

The next stage would be to continue with the practice when the baby is born.

Sustaining the habit will enable the child to have the background and
culture right from childhood.

“By the time the babies get to kindergarten and nursery school age, they
will have imbibed the culture of reading,” he said.

Aina said that the annual readership campaign would take place in 23 state
branches of the National library adding that 13 states had carried out the
campaign.

He highlighted the objective of the campaign to include encouraging reading among
Nigerians, promoting the increase in reading materials and identifying obstacles
which inhibit reading.

In his speech, the state Governor, Simon Lalong, said that more qualified
English teachers would be employed in the state to bridge the existing gap in
public schools.

Represented by the Commissioner for Secondary Education, Mr Peter Maigari, the
Governor pointed out that the gesture would enhance the skill of learning
English language which was most popularly used in reading and writing.

“We implore those authors to simplify their vocabulary in accordance to
readers comprehension.

“The reading materials should be integral to their environment, culture and
traditions,” he added.

The declining reading culture in Nigeria is a major source of concern for some leaders in Nigeria.